


Unconscious

by Merkwerkee



Series: Being Bruno Hamilton [12]
Category: Masters of the Metaverse
Genre: Whumptober 2019, during his time in the Vietnam War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:01:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22855156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merkwerkee/pseuds/Merkwerkee
Summary: Bruno takes a bad knock on the head to save a friend. Said friend is Not Impressed.
Series: Being Bruno Hamilton [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1643020





	Unconscious

Bruno blinked at the stars glimmering high overhead.

That wasn’t right. He shouldn’t be laying down, he should be moving. There was something, something that needed doing, and he had been told to do it. He braced his elbows against the ground, and started to pick himself up into a sitting position. Pain exploded behind his eyes and darkness rushed in from the corners of his vision as he heard someone else exclaim. _“Goddammit-!”_

Bruno blinked at the moon shining brightly overhead, dimming the stars around it with a gentle refulgence.

That wasn’t right. He needed to do something before moonrise, in the dark of the night. He may have missed that window, but he’d be damned if he failed to execute a mission now. He moved to brace his elbows against the ground, and a hand came down gently on one of his shoulders. “ _Fuck_ _sake_ , awake ten seconds and you’re already trying to get up again. Ease off, Hammer.”

Bruno relaxed, becoming aware of a deep bruising ache all over his body as he did so, and his eyes drifted over to the owner of the voice. “Tongs? The hell?” His voice was croaky, and a blinding pain made itself known behind his eyes. He groaned, closing his eyes again on Graves’ look of concern. “ _The hell_ , you say. _The hell you doing setting off those goddamn explosives when you knew you were too goddamn close_ , I say. And you fucking _know_ Pick’s gonna have your ass in a sling when he hears.” Bruno blinked slowly at the venom in Graves’ voice, belied by the careful way the man held the canteen to help Bruno drink as much as he could.

Water went down the wrong pipe and Bruno choked, coughing. The spasms sent staggering shards of pain through his chest and black swirled menacingly at the edges of his vision. Graves dropped the canteen. “No, no, _goddammit_ Hammer! Hammerton - fuck, Hamilton! _Fucking_ -!” The black surged and Bruno knew no more.

The next thing Bruno knew was red. And pain. But mostly red.

Bruno cracked his eyes and regretted it, the sun streaming down directly into his brain through the slits of his eyelids. He closed his eyes and groaned.

Instantly the motion, of which he’d vaguely been aware and which had been sending little jolts of pain through every few seconds, came to a complete halt and a shadow fell on his eyes. He squinted, and the heavily-backlit face of Graves came into view. “Hammer? You with me?” Graves was kneeling even as he spoke, and gave Bruno a small sip from the canteen before taking it away again. Bruno frowned at him but finally answered. “Yeah, I’m with you.”

Graves gave him another small sip from the canteen, then held up his hand. “How many fingers I got up?” Bruno squinted. “Two,” he grunted, and Graves nodded. “And who’s the president?” Bruno scowled. “Ford,” was his curt answer and Graves shrugged. “I didn’t vote for him either. Cubs’ last pennant?” Bruno squinted at him. “1908. Try asking better questions when you’re looking for brain damage.”

The half-smile on Graves’ lips disappeared like a snowball in June. “Okay, how ‘bout this one? _What the hell were you goddamn thinking setting off those goddamn explosives while standing less than 15 fucking yards away you goddamn maniac??_ ” Bruno pursed his lips but Graves didn’t waver. He capitulated with a short huff. “I was thinking about finishing the mission. If I hadn’t set them off then, the bomb disposal squad they had coming in would’ve taken them down.” And the squad Graves had been standing off with a grenade and a half-empty magazine would’ve overrun Graves’ position, he didn’t add, but Graves pursed his lips anyway.

“Fuck you, Hammer, I had 'em right where I wanted them. And now we both gotta explain to Pick the hell we were thinking.” He didn’t seem terribly put out, however, and handed Bruno the canteen before standing and stretching with a theatrical groan. “You good to walk or I gotta haul your fat ass some more?” Bruno gulped greedily at the canteen for a moment, before hauling himself laboriously to his feet and handing the canteen back.

“Watch your fucking language; I’m walking so I don’t gotta hear any more of your whining.”

Graves laughed and rolled up the tarp Bruno had been laying before the two turned and began the slow plod south towards the rest of their team and relative safety.


End file.
